Stolen hats and kisses
by thegirlwhowaited411
Summary: What if Maria was a tad bit older when the story takes place? What if Robins hat flew into her carriage when he tried to kidnap her? What if they realized their undeniable attraction soon afterwards? Read to find out. Originally a 2-parter.T just in case
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Little White Horse, or the movie derived from it The Secret of Moonacre, of which this little fic is based on. :)**

**Hello readers! This is my first venture into this fandom, I hope it is up to your standards. :) I drew some inspiration from Romeo and Juliet, Karmincovers take of Just a Kiss, and my own shipping in my head. you gotta love Maria/Robin!**

**I originally wrote this as a two-parter... but I quite like it and am wondering if I should continue even further. Message me if you think that would be something you would want to read!  
**

**~Enjoy.**

**P.s. I realize that I'm saying Robin's last name is 'DeNoir' when it should be 'de Noir' *headdesk* I typed it way too often and i don't want to go back and redo it over and over and over. sorry!  
**

Stolen hats and kisses.

_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight_

_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright_

_No, I don't wanna mess this thing up_

_I don't wanna push too far_

_Just a shot in the dark that you just might_

_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life_

_So baby I'm alright_

_With just a kiss goodnight_

_No I don't want to say goodnight_

_I know it's time to leave, but you'll be in my dreams_

_Tonight... _ ~Lady Antebellum, Just a Kiss. (Karmincovers 3)

Robin listened to the sounds of the forest around him. His eyes were closed and he was lying down on a fallen log, one leg bent with his knee pointing towards the sky. Hat held on his well toned chest. Finally, some peace. His father the Coeur DeNoir had been really antsy lately, yelling at everyone and snapping at absolutely everything. It honestly wasn't his fault. Loveday his sister had run away about twenty years ago on this date. And the 5000th moon was coming up soon. The curse upon the Merryweather's was going to happen, no doubt about it. The pearls still had not been found. The thought brought a grin to his handsome face. All his families troubles would be avenged. Eventually his thoughts drifted to the events that had occurred yesterday, surrounding a new Merryweather girl. A strange feeling erupted in his gut, and the only way he could describe it was a mass of butterflies.

Father had sent him to London to scout her out. The Moon Princess. It had taken awhile, but he had finally tracked her down as she attended her father's funeral. Robin shifted positions, his leather clothing rubbing against the bark. The girl had seen him yesterday. She had dropped a flower into the grave of her father, and then had walked over to a headstone nearby. Slowly she placed a flower on the headstone. Her mothers. Robin had felt something pull at his heartstrings. They had both lost their mothers then. What did you know? A DeNoir and a Merryweather with something in common! He chuckled slightly and pushed it away. Why should it matter?

Hearing something, the girl had turned around. Robin corrected himself promptly, she was a young lady. Not a girl. Her eyes quickly found the boy in black leaning against a column... watching her. Their eyes connected over the thirty yard difference, and she gasped slightly. Who was he? Curly hair covered his eyes, falling out of a bowler hat. And why did he have a black strip of cloth covering his nose? That was not normal attire, even for a funeral. She turned quickly around, giving Robin a chance to duck behind a tree. Father had ordered him to stay out of sight. Fantastic slip up on his part. He had watched as she slowly turned around again, her bright red locks bouncing. A look of confusion crossed her face when she didn't see the strange boy again. She shook her head... she must've imagined the boy in black. Her father's death was getting to her.

Robin traveled back to the present and his eyes flashed open. A leaf drifted slowly down and landed on his knee. He brushed it off and stood up. Father wanted him and a few of the men to kidnap the girl with the fiery red hair today. According to his sources, the new Merryweather girl would be arriving at Moonacre valley. Leaves and twigs underfoot at he walked back to the castle. Her arriving this close to the 5000th moon couldn't be a coincidence. His father was convinced that she was going to be the next Moon Princess. That didn't sit well with the Patriarch of the DeNoir clan.

There she was. The supposed Moon Princess. Her and that tutor of hers were bouncing down the road in a carriage driven by one of those servants of the MerryWeather family. Robin cringed at the thought of having servants...or maids or butlers whatever they were called now. Hired help? His family had never forced people into working for them. The DeNoirs were self sufficient. Jack, a fellow DeNoir clansman shoved Robins shoulder in anticipation for the kidnapping they were about to do. In just a few minutes the carriage would stop infront of the gate; the perfect opportunity for an ambush.

Robin and three of his fathers men, not much older than him actually, were sitting in the trees quite close to the gate. As the carriage went underneath them, they all dropped softly onto the top of the buggy. Luckily the driver didn't notice the DeNoirs. Just as they dropped, the carriage jumbled around over a nasty patch of rocks. Perfect. The women inside the carriage wouldn't be able to differentiate between the boys arrival and the rocky bumpiness of the road. A feminine "Oh!" was gasped suddenly as the jolt of the ride jostled the Moon Princess inside. Robin for an unexplainable reason flushed slightly. He wondered absentmindedly about what exactly the princess looked like. He had only seen her from afar off, and could only make out that she had red hair, and seemed fairly petite.

The carriage rolled to a stop and the Merryweather driver hopped off to go unlock the gate. The boys all looked at each other, grinning simultaneously. Suddenly a flash of bright red popped out of the window and Robin realized that it was the princess. She was so close; he could faintly smell her perfume, but her face was pointed towards the gate, not him. What a shame."Now!" Cameron shouted. Robin quick as a snake reached for the girl and tried to haul her out the window. She jumped at his touch and squirmed to see what had grabbed her. "Oh!" She squeaked breathily as she saw who had his arms wrapped possessively around her. Robin's mouth also formed a silent 'Oh.' They stared at each other.

Maria was momentarily dumbstruck by the young man with gorgeous brown eyes. Dark brown curls fell around his face, and a bowler hat was perched atop his head. Something that felt like feathers tickled her collarbone. It took her a moment to realize what was happening exactly. Robin almost let go of the princess as she turned in his arms. She looked his age, maybe a year younger. Fifteen, sixteen to his seventeen? Bright, youthful blue eyes stared into his confusedly, and a lightly freckled nose was stuck out in defiance. His eyes flickered down to her pale pink lips, and he licked his own subconsciously. What was with him today? Her eyes widened and she started to squirm out of his arms and slide back into the carriage. "Ah-ah, No you don't, Princess!"He muttered. His hold tightened and Maria had a brilliant idea. She pursed her lips. Sewing needle still in her possession, she raked it across his right hand. He hissed in pain and let her go as a reflex. NO! He shouldn't have done that! She ducked back into the carriage right as it lurched forward, sending the DeNoir boys tumbling off the roof. Robin watched as his hat blew off and landed within the carriage. His hat. His hat was GONE.

The heir of the Coeur DeNoir yelled in frustration as the carriage got away. He scrambled to his feet and gave chase, only to be abruptly stopped as the gate slammed down in his face. Robin slammed his fists against the metal. As she rode away, Maria dared to look out her window, against Ms. heliotropes wishes. Her hair whipping about in the wind, she stuck her head out the window and saw her almost-captors leaning up against the gate, all frowning furiously. Except that one boy, the one with the hat. Tha hat that was now hers. He was watching her leave with a worried look on his face. She humphed and stuck her tongue out at him. Served him right. Robin, worried about this sudden turn of events looked up in time to see the beautiful Moon Princess, of all things, stick her pink little tongue out at him. His eyebrow rose in challenge. Then he stuck his tongue out back at her, not quite understanding why. All he knew was that his father was going to be furious, and that he absolutely had to get his hat back.

Maria found herself blushing at the bandits reply, wondering why on earth had he tried to take her away. Wondering what on earth possessed her to continue looking at him." Maria!" Ms. Heliotrope admonished. "Get back inside the carriage. The sun is going to ruin your complexion!"

Maria sat on her bed in astonishment. Uncle had led her around the manor, explaining what rooms were accessible, and which she was forbidden to even look in. Her own bedroom was unbelievably beautiful. She sighed and ran her hand across the soft duvet she was sitting on. The theme of her room was the sea. All the furnishings were fashioned to look like the crashing of waves, and her bed reminded her of seashell. The fireplace absolutely took her breath away. All the lines were curved and soft on the eyes, and flames cast a healthy glow 'round the room. The most astonishing part of her room though was the ceiling. It was a perfect likeness of the night sky. Stars sparkled in their constellations, and once in awhile a shooting star would appear.

She undressed and found her night clothes in her trunk. Underneath her things was the hat that had landed on her lap today. Slipping them on over her head of red curls, she padded softly over to the french doors leading to a balcony. Grabbing a hair brush, Maria then threw her curtains aside and opened the doors. A bench carved out of stone that also resembled a wave was on her balcony, next to a potted shrubbery. She sighed softly and sat down, enjoying the beautiful view in front of her. It was unusually warm for a spring evening. The manor had a beautiful garden, of which was spread out beneath her. The moon, which seemed so far away, shone its peaceful glow on the plants and statues in the garden. Maria smiled as she brushed her hair, her eyes wandering the grounds as she did so.

She was about to go back inside when movement just past the garden caught her eye. She scrunched her nose up in concentration. "Wrolfe?" She called out into the night. It could be her uncle's big dog out there. What else could it be? A deer maybe? "Who's there? Show yourself!" A figure in the shadows stepped out into the light being cast out of her bedroom onto the grass below, nearly giving Maria a heart attack. "Goodness!" She leaned slightly over her balcony to get a good look at the person. "You gave me quite a fright- Oh! It's you!"

"It is me, princess." Robin bowed slightly mockingly, never breaking eye contact with the young woman above him."Good evening."

Maria's mouth opened and closed a few times before she could form a proper sentence. He looked mysterious and dashing down there." Good evening." What was her almost-kidnapper doing here? Her eyes widened. Was he here to snatch her away? She shifted her weight and put her hands on her hips. "What are you doing here?"

Robin watched the beautiful Moon Princess for a few seconds, soaking up the moment. She seemed even more mesmerizing in the moonlight than earlier today when he had failed to snatch her out of the carriage. She stared at him, waiting for an answer. He knew what he wanted to ask of her, but another question came up unbidden and rolled off his lips instead. "What is your name, Princess?" Maria was surprised by the question. Did this mysterious young man come to her really just to learn her name? Why did he keep calling her princess?

"It's Maria." She leaned up against the balcony railing, folding her arms. "Not 'Princess'." The leather-clad boy leaned up against the pillar holding up her balcony, and smirked at her stubbornness. She found herself flushing lightly. She then became aware of how utterly under-dressed she was, and how scandalous she was being with this young man. She brought her arms closer to her chest, hoping to hide her indecency. The flush becoming even deeper. Robin tried not to notice.

"Whatever you say, Princess. Now, I have a favor to ask-"

"Why would I do anything for you?" Maria asked, cutting him off mid-sentence, " You tried to kidnap me earlier!" She was just full of questions.

"Shhh! Keep your voice down!" He looked slightly panicked, and started to look around to see if there was anyone coming to get him. She guessed that he wasn't supposed to be here.

Maria bit her lip. " Sorry." She whispered down to him. The boy stood there looking up at her, clad in his leather and feathers. "Um. Go on... ask." She frowned slightly. "After you tell me your name at least." Her visitor folded his arms and pursed his lips.

"If I tell you, would you listen to me?"

"Yes. I think that would be appropriate." He nodded, then looked up the column he was leaning against. Thick vines of ivy wound their way upwards, all the way to her balcony ledge. He grinned slyly, an idea forming in his mind. He reached out to the plant and tested its sturdiness. It held. He put a foot on the plant, and started to hoist himself upwards.

"My name," He was now about a yard off the ground, "Is Robin DeNoir. Son of the Coeur DeNoir, and" He was only about a foot away from being able to swing himself onto Maria's balcony. She backed up to the other side of her balcony, her back hitting the railing. This strange Robin was invading her personal quarters! While she was in her nightgown of all things! "My family for generations has been the sworn enemy of the Merryweather clan." He landed on her balcony with a soft _thump_, his knees bent slightly, his arms outstretched, and a cheeky grin on his face.

**Authors note: I hope you liked this first chapter! Reviews, critiques and suggestions are lovely and I would appreciate them. I'm always looking to improve my storytelling skills. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2. Enjoy!**

"What? Why-why are you up here?" She thought she'd been safe up here.

"You," he took a step towards her, his footsteps as light as a whisper, gained from years of tracking animals in the forest. "have something of mine." She stood up straighter, in defiance. Her soft, silky, red hair cascaded around her face and tumbled town her back and over her chest.

"What do you think I have?" Robin analyzed her carefully, in the full light of her room. Maria Merryweather, the last of the Moon Princess's, was the most intriguing and beautiful girl he had ever met._ No, wait. Don't think like that. you can't afford to think like that Robin._ "You, Princess, have my hat."

She raised her eyebrows at him in amusement, and took a daring step towards the handsome, seemingly dangerous boy. "You came to me," she took another step. Robin realized that he had stopped walking. "In the dead of night," step. " a dreaded DeNoir... who tried to kidnap me this morning," She was now less than a foot away from him. Maria could feel a blush rising, but she did her best to hold it off. Robin held off this incredible urge to close the gap and run his hands through her fiery hair. (Though he could feel his left hand twitching.) "Just for some silly hat?"

Robin growled, a noise so low she could barely hear it, but it seemed to vibrate in her. The flush came unbidden, and she cursed her emotions. "It's not just a 'silly' hat, Maria." That was the first time, the boy said her name. Her actual name, not 'princess'. She shivered as it rolled off his tongue. "It's MY hat, and it means ever so much to me." He took one full step closer, and Maria now had to tilt her head back slightly to look at his handsome face.

He shouldn't be this close to her, Robin realized a second too late. She was a city girl. Those girls had strict boundaries. Her minty breath puffed up, and the DeNoir could smell her perfume again. Maria noticed that he inhaled slightly. Did something smell? She sniffed and was overwhelmed by Robin's musk of leather, fresh cut grass and the forest. She briefly closed her eyes in enjoyment. Robin stared down at this young woman, his sworn enemy, yet she was so unafraid of him. She was standing here _exposed_, in a nightgown without any weapons, in the dark, with her _eyes closed_. Robin shook his head, curls bouncing without his hat to hold them down. What was with this Merryweather? He leaned down, still forcing himself to not touch her hair and whispered in her ear. "Could I have it back?" Maria's eyes flew open as she felt Robin Denoirs breath on her cheek, and her eyes widened. This was the closest she'd ever been to a member of the opposite sex. There was a distance of maybe three centimeters between the two teenagers. She gulped and stepped back quickly.

"Yes." She nodded curtly, before spinning on her heel and disappearing into her room.

Robin stared after her dumbstruck. Why the rush? A slow grin showing all his teeth appeared. She had been blushing beet red when she ran away to her room. Did she... was she attracted to him? He found himself going beyond all reason and hoping so. Robin chuckled and then decided to step into her room also, never once thinking that he would be trespassing, or invading the Moon Princess's privacy. She was kneeling on the ground across the room near an open trunk rummaging around, but what caught his eye was the room itself.

"Whoah." he breathed. Maria spun around, surprised that Robin had followed her into her room. She was about to yell at him to leave when she saw the look of wonder and awe on his face as he memorized every detail of her private chambers. She couldn't bear to take that happiness off of his face. It was simply beautiful. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. What would Ms. Heliotrope say is she walked in right now and saw a young man in her charges room? Or worse, what would uncle say? But they weren't, for Maria locked her door before turning in. And they couldn't read her mind.

The ceiling. The ceiling wasn't the ceiling. It was the night sky. It was the stars, and the planets and it was breathtaking. Robin found himself sitting down on a velvet chair, still looking up. This was magical. Nothing like this existed back in the DeNoir territory. His hat had totally been forgotten, now in possession of Maria. Eventually his eyes travelled around the rest of the room, amazed at the level of detail that went into this place. The furniture, the landscapes painted onto the walls... even the carpet was soft underfoot. The Merryweathers had real_ carpet._ The DeNoirs lived in a dank, dark castle. Nothing that Robin had compared to this. His father and his ancestors had wanted to destroy this? To destroy her?

Robin then realized Maria's rustling around in the chest had stopped awhile ago, and that he had spent too much time inspecting her private rooms. He cleared his throat awkwardly and cast his eyes back to the chest. She wasn't there! The DeNoir looked about wildly and then realized that Maria was sitting on the edge of her magnificent bed, his precious bowler hat in hand. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She whispered, barely audible. She was fussing with his hat, pulling on a frayed string. But she was staring straight at him with those piercing blue eyes.

"This is a room fit for the Moon Princess." Maria frowned.

"Why do you keep calling me that? A princess? I'm not of royal blood." Robin stood up, flabbergasted.

"You really don't know?"She shifted uncomfortably.

"Know what? Father left me a book...and it mentioned something of a Moon Princess. But I haven't finished it... I haven't had time to read such childish stories." Robin sat down again. Childish stories? That was their families entire history! Why they were feuding! The reason why these two teenagers were supposed to hate each other. Repulsed by one another. And beautiful, stubborn, supposedly upright Maria had no idea of any of it. Oh the irony.

He groaned and put his head in his hands, then sighed and ran his fingers through his mass of curls. Maria watched in silence as he did this,wondering what was so important. Surely this attractive young man wasn't worrying over her!"Robin?" She questioned getting up and walking over to him. "What's wrong?" She gently placed his bowler hat on top of his head. He looked up gratefully, then scrunched his eyebrows together.

"I can't believe that you don't know our families' history, Maria." There, he went and said her name again. Maria felt a tingle go up her spine, and she shook a little to get rid of it. Robin noticed and he smirked, like he knew a secret and was just dying to share. Maria bit her lip.

"Would you tell me?" She sat down on the edge of her bed, closest to her leather-clad boy. Robin paused and thought for a moment. "I don't think I can. To do so would betray my clan," just being here was breaking protocol. He was supposed to kidnap her for crying out loud! "And besides..." He got up and walked over to her, sitting down close to Maria on the bed. "You can probably learn more from a book than from me." She stiffened at his sudden closeness, but then relaxed. She then collapsed backwards onto the bed, and sighed sadly. Robin frowned. She shouldn't be so comfortable around him. He was dangerous to her. A DeNoir. But he found himself also wanting to be in proximity of her. Close proximity. He was very aware that their hands were almost touching. Which probably wasn't a good thing as his father wanted him to kidnap her tomorrow... again.

"Why the sigh, Princess?"

She rolled onto her side to face Robin, and in the process got closer to him. "Nothing makes sense! My Father, an honorable man dies and leaves me a fairytale book, You ambush me today and then treat me civilly later at night, uncle is very mysterious, many rooms here are locked up, I'm not allowed near the forest, and my room is practically impossible! Just look at the ceiling!" She said in a huff. Instead,Robin looked down at his hands, dirt caked underneath his fingernails... his right hand was right next to her slender, clean, pink hand. What a difference.

"I'm not supposed to be civil to you. I'm not even supposed to be here right now."

"Oh." Was all she said. She seemed so disappointed in this that Robin couldn't stop himself from talking.

"As a matter of fact," He looked into her eyes, " Father wants me well rested so that tomorrow or the day after that I can kidnap you successfully." Maria sat up and gasped,scooting away from Robin. "No!" He said quickly, finally grabbing her slender hand. "I don't want to hurt you, or scare you or anything like that! Not since I really saw you today. Since I actually met you." She paused.

"Why?" She whispered to him. " Why tell me this?" Robin didn't know. He just knew that he had Maria's hand in his and that he never wanted to let go. He stood up and pulled her with him as well, bringing her back out onto her balcony. She didn't protest. That was either really good, or really bad. Twenty minutes spent together, and already she had started to trust him. Maria couldn't explain the feelings that she was having right now. She was just drawn to him like no one before. " I want you to know that whatever happens to you, or to Moonacre valley... it's not my fault." Robin turned her to face him in the center of her balcony.

"What to you mean?" She asked, looking up at her almost thief.

"Read your book, Princess. It should explain everything." He was leaning close to her now, and his feather collar was tickling her nose. Robin was taken back as she leaned into his chest, their bodies separated only by leather and linen. He slowly wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, against his better judgement. If his father found out where he was,what he was doing, he would surely be beaten, or worse killed. He resisted burying his face into her hair, as he had resisted the urge to play with it earlier. He was exactly a head taller that her, and it would be so easy to tuck her head under his chin. "I have to go now princess, before I'm missed."

Maria's voice came out muffled, as she had not released her hold on him yet. Robin was okay with this. More than okay in fact. "Don't go yet... you're my first..." What to call him? "...friend here." His eyes widened in shock. Friend? He and the Merryweather moon princess friends? Was that even possible? He looked down at her in his arms. Yes. Yes it was.

"I have to. But thank you for my hat." He could feel her grin against him before she broke away.

"Will I see you again, Robin of the Denoir clan?" she said with a hint of a pout in her voice. Robin chuckled and stared at her pink lips. They were mesmerizing.

"I should think so. I still haven't kidnapped you yet." Her lips pursed. That wasn't funny.

"Why haven't you taken me away?" She threw her hands out in question. "You've just had the perfect opportunity to!" She had to ask. He chuckled nervously. Was that an invitation? He realized what he wanted to do with the young woman in his arms. Sweep her away. Not kidnap her, no. Romanticize her, maybe court her. The thought was a daring one for a guy his age. But he couldn't. He was a DeNoir, and she a Merryweather. Even as he was thinking this, he leaned down and captured her soft lips with his own.. Something he realized he had wanted to do since the carriage ride. She started to kiss him back, arms winding around his neck to bring him closer before pulling abruptly away. Oh!" She gasped, fingers brushing her lips.

"Because I really, really, really wanted to do that." He whispered. A pretty blush spread across her features and to keep himself from kissing her again he turned and walked towards the column he would have to climb down to get to the ground.

"You're not the only one." She whispered and bit her lip.

"What?" He had already started his descent, but he looked surprised, turning his head to face her.

She ran over to the balcony edge above him and leaned over slightly so that their faces were almost touching."Goodnight Robin." She placed a kiss on his cheek and retreated quickly, blushing even more. He grinned a her retreating figure.

"Good night, my Princess."

**Author's note: Okay, what did you think? I know... waaaay too rushed. ****But I promise you I couldn't help it! Critiques, reviews and suggestions are appreciated, as well as your opinion on whether I should continue this story or not. Thanks for reading! ~thegirlwhowaited411**


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